The Washington State Cougars opened their showcase on Nov. 6 with a statement win Friday night, taking down San Jose State 3–1 in a tight but confident performance.

The Cougs dominated puck possession throughout the matchup, keeping consistent pressure on the Spartans while controlling the tempo in all three zones. Despite the narrow scoreline, WSU’s offensive rhythm and depth on the bench were clear from the first puck drop.

Junior assistant captain Van Rayner put WSU on the board early, notching his 15th point of the season and setting the tone for a fast-paced first period.

“It was nice to get one early like that,” Rayner said. “We’ve been on a bit of a losing skid, so it was important to come out strong. After that, we just kept coming a little bit. It was nice to get that one in early.”

Rayner’s goal helped build momentum for the Cougs, who continued to pressure San Jose’s goaltender by having bodies in front of the net and getting shot after shot on goaltender Caymus Stevens.

“My goal wasn’t anything special, it was just a rebound, crash the net,” Rayner said. “That kind of set an example for the game: crash hard, get rebounds, and make the most of second chances.”

Senior Brandon Smith extended the lead later in the period with a highlight goal that capped off a strong offensive play.

“The job’s the same for every line, play our game and work hard,” Smith said. “It just worked out for me. Goals at the end of the period are always great; it really got the boys buzzing for the second.”

San Jose managed to cut the deficit midway through the game, but the Cougs’ defense stayed composed, led by steady goaltending and some disciplined plays at the blue line. Sophomore Max Lazzaro sealed the win late in the third with a top-shelf beauty that had even Spartan fans saying ‘great goal.

“At first I was looking for a drop pass, but it got a little awkward,” Lazaro said. “I took it out wide, saw the goalie was a bit off his post, and just tried my chances; it worked out. Definitely more of a plan B play.”

Head coach Johnny Lupinacci praised his team’s complete effort, emphasizing that the focus now shifts to preserving that energy through the four-game showcase.

“It’s a four-game weekend, so we’re 25% of the way there,” Lupinacci said. “We got a great effort from everyone, top to bottom. We’ve been working hard on conditioning and making sure the guys can play three full periods, and they did that tonight.”

Looking ahead, the Cougars face USC next, a matchup Lupinacci said will test WSU’s patience and consistency.

“USC’s a strong, disciplined team that holds possession really well,” he said. “We just have to play unselfish hockey, keep pushing, and wear them down over 60 minutes.”

With the 3–1 victory, the Cougs move to 1–0 in the showcase and will look to build on their momentum heading into the weekend.